Statement on human milk banking. Nutrition Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society

Abstract

If expressed human breast milk is used certain considerations and precautions are needed depending on the donor. Appropriate safety standards and procedures should be used by all milk banks. Screening of donors of breast milk must include history-taking for acute or chronic infections and drug use. Expressed breast milk should be stored at 3 degrees C to 4 degrees C if it is to be used within 48 hours and at -20 degrees C or lower if it is to be stored for more than 48 hours. Because of the dangers of microbiologic contamination pooled milk should be pasteurized before use. Although the standards are empiric, it has been suggested that breast milk that is free of pathogens and has a total bacterial colony count of less than 10(7)/L at the time of sampling is safe to use. Breast milk expressed by an infant's own mother can be used without banking procedures, but the safety precautions, apart from pasteurization, still apply.